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It's curious...I study censorship in MA public libraries: insidelowell.com/books-… . If MA passed a law like the proposed Connecticut law, would it be possible to find my local MA libraries to be not in compliance with the law if they refused to buy what is currently the most banned book in MA, "Gay Shame: The Rise of Gender Identity and…
It's curious...I study censorship in MA public libraries: https://insidelowell.com/books-actually-banned-in-massachusetts/ . If MA passed a law like the proposed Connecticut law, would it be possible to find my local MA libraries to be not in compliance with the law if they refused to buy what is currently the most banned book in MA, "Gay Shame: The Rise of Gender Identity and the New Homophobia"? https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/gay-shame-gareth-roberts-review-lrtg8jq76 . Likely this book is not available in any library in Connecticut, either. If this law passes, all right thinking people in Connecticut should flood the libraries with requests for the book, and then, when they refuse to purchase it, file a class action lawsuit. Bring it!
I believe that the text of the proposed bill is here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2025/TOB/S/PDF/2025SB-00523-R00-SB.PDF . It's the first clause: " (1) prohibit public and school libraries from excluding or censoring books because of the origin, background or views of the material or of its authors, or solely because a person finds such books offensive;". Right now, it's pretty clear that the reason no copy has been purchased in MA it that the librarians requested find the views offensive. "All" you have to do is take them to court claiming, and you can substantiate it, that that was the reason they refused to buy the book. A favorable review from "The Times" should always be adequate, they can't say it's insufficiently well known or not of sufficient quality or any of the usual excuses.